Rashee Rice

Rice is a short-area receiver whose yardage comes mostly after the catch. Across his career his air yards run far below his receiving yards: 285 air yards against 938 receiving yards in 2023, and 157 against 571 in 2025. That points to quick, high-percentage targets rather than downfield shots. He catches a high share of what comes his way, with 79 of 102 targets in 2023 and 13 of 17 so far in 2026. He has also been a steady red-zone option, with 22 red-zone targets in 2023 and 18 in just eight games in 2025. He is currently listed sixth on the depth chart at SWR.

The 2026 sample is light compared with his recent per-game work. Through four games he is averaging about 4.3 targets, 47.5 receiving yards and 9.5 PPR points per game, which ranks 212th. In 2025 he averaged roughly 9.8 targets, 71 yards and 18.8 PPR points per game over eight games, with about 2.3 red-zone looks per game. His 2024 rate was similar at about 16.5 points per game, but that came over only four games. His one full season, 2023, produced about 13.3 points per game on 6.4 targets across 16 games. Efficiency has held up this year, with 14.6 yards per reception, his highest mark. Volume is what has dropped.

For this week the read is simple: Rice is listed as out, so he is not a lineup or DFS option. Season-long managers are holding him for what comes after. The Clutch Edge projection of 15.8 points per game sits well above his 2026 pace and closer to his 2024 and 2025 rates. That projection assumes the target share returns rather than staying at this year's level.

What changes the picture is his status first, then his role once he is active. A return to the roughly ten targets per game and multiple red-zone looks he saw in 2025 would support the projection. A target load closer to this season's four per game would leave him near the 9.5-point output he has posted so far. His low depth-chart listing is worth watching as a signal of how much of that role is waiting for him.

Written by a language model from the stat lines below. Numbers from Sleeper; the 2026 line is the season in progress.